The Indonesian government has unofficially expressed reservations about allowing religious preacher and suspected terrorist Mohamad Iqbal A Rahman to return.

The former Indonesian national is in the process of appealing against the revocation of his Malaysian permanent residence status.

Contacted today, his wife Fatimah Zahrah Abdul Aziz told malaysiakini that an Indonesian journalist had told her that President Megawati Sukarnoputri had indicated the government was not keen to see Iqbal return.

The couple have nine children aged between one and 19 years. The family has been considering returning to Indonesia in the event that Iqbal's appeal is rejected by Malaysian authorities.

However, this latest turn of events has made it difficult for them to plan their next course of action, Fatimah said.

"We are in the dark. We cannot even fathom what is going to happen to him and what will happen to our family... we are still waiting for the Malaysian government's response," she said (photo, left).

Fatimah met Iqbal yesterday morning. During the 15-minute meeting, her husband told her that the immigration department was awaiting the Home Ministry's decision.

'Informal news'

A journalist with Indonesian news magazine Tempo confirmed the information, saying: "Indonesia does not want to have to deal with another terrorist suspect."

"This has not been reported (by the media) because the information was provided (to us) in an informal manner. The president and the defence minister told us that they already have enough problems as it is and do not need more," said the journalist, who requested anonymity.

"They also said they do not consider Iqbal an Indonesian (any longer) because he holds a Malaysian identity card and has been staying there with his family for several years. They don't see why they have to accept him."

He said he believed that Iqbal would be arrested under Indonesia's immigration laws in the event the Malaysian government deports him, and that he will be interrogated on his alleged links with terrorism activities.

Iqbal, 46, who became a Malaysian permanent resident in 1985, was among the first batch of suspected Malaysian Mujahiddin Group (KMM) members detained in August 2001 under the Internal Security Act.

Father dies

Last Friday, when released from detention, he was nabbed by immigration authorities and is being held in their custody, while appealing against the revocation of his PR status.

Fatimah also said Iqbal was grieving over the death of his father last Friday. He was disappointed that an earlier request to call his father - who lived in Lombok, Indonesia - did not receive sympathetic response from officials.

"When I told him that his father was gravely ill, he asked the immigration officials if he could call his father, but there was no reply," Fatimah alleged..

"They only allowed him to call his home last Saturday after we informed them about his father's death."